New tech to prompt review of gay blood donor exclusion

Tuesday 26 March 2019

Advancements in Jersey’s blood testing technology will this year prompt a review of donation guidelines, including revisiting the 12-month exclusion period for gay and bisexual men who want to give blood.

Plans to introduce new technology will pave the way for a second look at the suitability criteria for wannabe blood donors, including a review of the exclusion period for men who have had sex with other men.

As the criteria stands in Jersey, gay or bisexual men have to wait for one year since they last had sex with a man until they are allowed to give blood – nine months longer than the exclusion period in England, Scotland and Wales.

This is to lower the risk of spreading blood-borne diseases, which are statistically more common amongst men who have sex with men than any other group. NHS guidelines state: "This isn’t meant to be discriminatory. It’s not based on anyone’s sexual history or sexuality. It reflects statistical risks for the sexual behaviour that increases the risk of virus transmission."

Pictured: One part of the guidelines which could be up for review as a result of the new technology is the 12-month exclusion period for men who have sex with men.

Before 2011, men who had ever engaged in sexual activity with another man were permanently excluded from becoming a blood donor. This then changed to a 12-month exclusion period – which remains in Jersey and Northern Ireland – and subsequently, England, Scotland and Wales reduced the exclusion to three months in 2017.

Now, Jersey is introducing more advanced blood testing technology which will allow more accurate tests for any blood-borne diseases – meaning the island could follow the UK’s suit in reducing the exclusion period. 

This emerged in response to a question from Lily Dobber, a JCG student taking part in the annual Youth Assembly, who asked the Health Minister Deputy Richard Renouf what plans Jersey had to change the rules governing blood donation.

In response, the Health Minister explained that the guidelines on blood donor selection criteria “evolve and change regularly” based on a variety of reasons including fluctuating rates of infectious diseases around the world and advancements in testing technology. 

Pictured: Deputy Richard Renouf spoke of the changes to the blood technology in response to a question from a Jersey student.

Deputy Renouf said: “Jersey uses antigen/antibody-based technology in keeping with the size of our population and uses and updates its acceptance/exclusion criteria in keeping with this technology…

“We are introducing newer antigen/antibody-based technology later on this year and we will reassess our acceptance/exclusion criteria in light of this new technology once it is embedded. This reassessment will include assessment of the safety of reducing the exclusion period for men who have sex with men which changed in the UK in 2017.”

When asked about this new technology, Consultant Microbiologist at the Hospital Dr. Ivan Muscat, said: “We expect to have a new machine which will permit the use of more sensitive tests by the end of the year. However, once the new machine is in place, we will need to undertake a lot of testing against the old machine and standardised samples to confirm satisfactory performance. 

“This will take some months. The increased sensitivity of testing will permit reassessment of the exclusion criteria, but it would be inappropriate to speculate upon the extent of those changes at this point. What remains paramount is that we provide, and continue to provide, a safe and sufficient blood supply for the people of Jersey.”